Folding ironing table



June 5, 1934. c. w. SADENWATER FOLDING IRONING TABLE Filed Sept. 50, 1933 CHARLES WT SADEN W217" ER Patented June 5, 1934 NliE sarss FOLDING IRONENG TABLE Application September 30, 1933, Serial No. 691,602

3 Claims. (01. 68-10) This invention relates to improvements in folding tables of the type in which an ironing board is provided with folding legs. A table of the kind referred to is illustrated and described in Patent No. 1,627,556 issued to E. J. Gilbert. It consists of a front leg and a pair of rear legs pivotally connected to a board, a pair of connecting rods pivoted to the front leg and also to the rear legs, and a pair of locking truss rods pivotally connected with the rear legs intermediate their ends and slidingly connected with the front leg.

My present invention relates to a novel struc ture and mode of operation of the locking truss rod and its associated parts.

The object of my invention is to provide a table of such character in which the leg structure shall be strong and mechanically efficient, simple to operate and compact when folded for storage, and wherein the locking truss rod mechanism shall be capable of supporting the board at a point intermediate the points of attachment of the front and rear legs, and also shall present additional reinforcement and stiffening for the rear legs to prevent their racking when crosswise thrusts are imparted to the board in ironing; and furthermore, the truss rod arrangement shall be such that when the legs are folded, a member of the truss rod will overlie or jack-knife upon the front leg and help to hold that leg and also the connecting rods in their proper central folded position on the board.

These advantages I attain by a novel arrangement of the locking truss rod parts hereinafter described in detail, the essential elements of my i invention being more partiouarly pointed out in the appended claims defining my invention. It will be understood, however, that the claims are not intended to be limited to the form of the parts illustrated and described further than a limitation to the desired form is necessary to distinguish them from the prior art.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device set up in extended position for use.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view through the front leg when in folded position, the section being taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Numeral 1 designates the ironing board of my novel folding table. A front leg 2 and a pair of spreading rear legs 3-3 are pivoted to the under side of the board, and a pair of rods 4-4 are pivoted at 5 to the front leg near its foot, and their other ends are pivoted at 6-6 to the respective rear legs.

A pair of locking truss rods 77 are also pivoted to the rear legs at 66, their convergent ends being pivoted at 8-8 respectively to the two side flangesQ-Q a trough-shaped member 10 which is hinged at its front end to pivot 11 of front leg 2. The co-axial pivot 88, one being in each flange 9, 9, and the truss rods 77 and the member it constitute a toggle joint whereby the stated objects of my invention are attained in the following manner:

When the front leg 2 and the pair of rear legs 3-4; are in their extended position for supporting the ironing board they are connected, as is shown in Fig. l, by the rods 44 so they can support a heavy static load. The above mentioned toggle provides ample strength to withstand fore and aft stresses that are imparted to the supporting structure in its ordinary use, as in ironing, and it also imparts strength to resist, without racking, any thrusts that may be applied crosswise to the board.

While the table is in standing position the member 10 lies with its flanges 9-9 lengthwise of the under side of the board, and by member 10 the ends of rods 77 are kept up against the board so as to, assist in supporting it at a point or points intermediate the pivotal connections of the leg 2 and the legs 3-3 with the board. The toggle structure is then in flexed position and its locking truss rods 77 not only carry the load-supporting stress just mentioned but, by their downward and outward spread to the pivots 6-6 on the rear legs, they also provide effective bracing that prevents the rear legs from racking when crosswise thrusts are applied to the board. The rods 7--7, in co-operation with member 10, keep the rods i4 in tension, and the members 2, l0, 7, 4, l and 3 act conjointly to prevent any play even if their joints become worn.

When the table is being folded for storage and the toggle joint is flexed downward, the member 10 and the pair of locking truss rods 77 pass through a position where their toggle pivots 88 are in alinement with their end pivots 6-6 and 11. In this straightened position of the toggle, the feet of the front and rear legs are moved me somewhat further apart, and the ironing board 1 has its front end slightly raised from its normal horizontal position, due to the change of angularity of the pivotal elements that was brought about by straightening the toggle. That change of angularity enables the toggle to be straightened without springing the connected parts. Continued downward and forward movement of the toggle joint past the position indicated by dotted lines at X, Fig. 1, finally causes the member 10 to jack-knife over the front leg 2 when the front leg is projecting forwardly and lying fiat against the under side of the board 1. The two pivots 8-8 are then outside of the leg 2. This position of leg 2 is indicated by dotted lines at Y, Fig. 1, and in Fig. 2 there is shown an enlarged cross section of the leg and member 10 in their clasped position. The other foldable members of the supporting structure stow against the board in known manner as shown, for example, in the patent to which reference has been made.

The member 10 is preferably formed from sheet metal and may be in the form of a trough to fit snugly over the leg 2, the flanges 9, 9 projecting beyond the end of the trough to take the pivot 11. However, the web of the trough neednot extend its full length, but may be merely a short web or spacing element that connects the flanges 9, 9 adjacent the pivots 88.

It is obvious that when the supports are folded flat upon the board and the central leg is enveloped for a considerable part of its length by the member 10, then that member is trussed by the convergent rods 7-7 and the front leg is held in its proper central position on the board more securely than would be possible without its aid.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a folding ironing table or the like having front and rear legs and braces connecting the same, a pair of forwardly convergent locking truss rods pivoted to the rear legs of the table, a trough-shaped member having two flanges spaced apart and hinged at their front ends to the board adjacent the point of attachment of the front table leg, the convergent ends of said rods being pivoted respectively to the rear ends of the spaced flanges of said trough-shaped member, the arrangement being such that when the legs are in their extended position for supporting the table the flanges of the trough-shaped member lie in extended position lengthwise underneath the board and co-operate with the convergent truss rods to brace the rear legs and to support the board intermediate the pivotal con nections of the front and rear legs to the board, and also to maintain in the several joints of the table-supporting structure a degree of tension appropriate to prevent play therein.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein the said flanges, in the folded position of the legs, jack-knife upon and clasp the front leg in advance of the pivotal connection of the front leg and the board, whereby the front leg is held in its central position on the board.

3. In a folding ironing table or the like having front and rear legs and braces connecting the same, a pair of forwardly convergent locking truss rods pivoted to the rear legs, a pair of members spaced apart and hinged at their front ends to the table adjacent the point of attachment of the front leg, the convergent ends of said rods being pivoted respectively to the rear ends of said members, and a spacing element connecting said members, the arrangement being such that when the legs are in their extended position for supporting the table said members lie in extended position lengthwise underneath the board.

CHARLES W. SADENWATER. 

